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“What I teach is one of the most dangerous branches of magic,” said Professor Will Graham. “Up until now, your magic has depended on using your own powers and strengths. What I do is different. In the distant past, they used to be called fairies, djinn, familiars. They are tricky and capricious, even perfidious but they can do things that you can not do by yourself. I plan to show you how to summon and command one of them. Most of you will not be able to attain this skill.
“Before you dare call one of them into our universe, you must decide what exactly you want to call. Do not try to call something that is above your skill level or all that will be found of you is the stray bits that it has not consumed. It would be best not to do a summoning spell alone in case you need help casting it back into the shadow lands.”
A student raised her hand.
“Yes, Clarice.”
“What do they come from?”
“They come from a world that is very different from ours. From their somewhat dubious testimony, it is a world full of creatures like them. The light on their world ranges from just before sunset to a night illuminated by the full moon. The world has a full range of environments, ranging from swamps to forest to alpine forests to the arctic. They don’t have humans where they are from. They much prefer our world and not just because the meat is tastier.”
“What keeps them from crossing over here by themselves?”
“It usually takes an anchor here so they can cross over. The spell caster has to be immensely strong to do so though a group of twelve or more low-level casters can manage the apparition of a medium-strength entity though not without consequences, often dire ones.”
Another student raised her hand.
“Yes, Ardelia.”
“I’ve heard a rumor . . .”
Will could guess what the rumor was but said, “Go on.”
“I heard that some spell casters . . . They become very familiar with their familiars . . .”
Will sighed. “It’s true that there have been spell casters who have become enamored with the entity they called. However, it’s dangerous. Even if the affection is returned, how the affection is returned may not be to your liking. After all, black widow spiders eat their mate. When you create a form for your entity, create a form that is pleasing enough but not so pleasing that you are instantly and immensely attracted to it. It makes one project all sorts of things on a being that is not human and never will be. There is a type of magic that involves intimacy but it is strictly forbidden to beginners and not covered in this course.”
***
“You’ve been quiet lately,” said Will to his familiar as they sat at the dinner table.
Matthew said, “I’m still disgusted.” He was in the human form of a young man with dark hair. In his true form, he manifested in the shape of a hawk that could materialize up to the size of the legendary roc.
“By Garret Jacob Hobbs?” They had worked on a case for Jack. Will had tracked down the man behind the disappearances of eight girls, only to find that the killer had killed his wife and nearly killed his daughter before he metamorphosed into his true form, a male Shrike. Will had immediately summoned his hawk familiar to attack and kill him. It had been gruesome with Matthew’s claws ripping through the Shrike’s chest. As usual, the familiar was allowed to feast on its prey with the remains put in the freezer for later feedings. Doing so kept familiars more interested in helping hunt entities like Hobbs and helped cut down on the expense of keeping a familiar.
“He killed his mate and attacked his fledgling,” said Matthew, scowling.
Will nodded sympathetically. From what he had read, Matthew’s species mated for life and raised their young together until they fledged. While Matthew understood hunting for food, it was incomprehensible for him to understand a bird that was not only homicidal towards but desired to feed on his own young. “I don’t quite understand it either even though I know why he did it.”
“I heard Jack wants you to work on the Chesapeake Ripper case.”
“Yes.”
Matthew’s eyes glittered and he tilted his head to the side. “You sound reluctant.”
“Angling for another meal, already?” said Will. “Be careful, he might be the one to make a meal out of you.”
Matthew snorted at the idea.
Will opened his briefcase and pulled out the file. “This is a file on him. I’d like your impressions of him.”
Matthew looked at the pictures and read the notes. “What do you think?”
Will said, “I think the Ripper thinks of his victims as prey, as pigs. He enjoys putting them on display. I know you don’t like Hobbs but Hobbs didn’t have the animus towards his victims that this killer has towards his.”
“I agree.”
“He wanted to shame the victim, create field kabuki. All his victims are human so far but other than that, I don’t see a pattern in the victims.”
“None of them are small children,” said Matthew.
“And none of them have sexually violated so that strikes that out as a motive. Organs are missing but he doesn’t eat like you do. You eat most of the organs after a kill. He just seems to take enough for a trophy. It’s obvious that he watches the website Tattlecrime.com.” Will sighed. “I’m going to need more information.”
“Then you’ll be taking the case.”
“I have to.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Expecting someone?” said Matthew.
Will frowned. “It might be the spell caster Jack wants me to work with on the case. His name is Hannibal Lecter.”
“I’ll go into the attic and observe,” said Matthew.
Will nodded. Part of the arrangement he had with Matthew was that nobody was to know about his human form but lead everyone to assume that the only form he had was that of a hawk. It made sending Matthew to spy for him easier on occasion and kept opponents from guessing the true strength of his abilities. Once he knew Matthew was safely hidden, he went to the door.
There was the broad-shouldered man he had seen in Jack’s office. “Good morning, may I come in?”
“If you like,” said Will. “I see you have breakfast.”
Hannibal held up the Tupperware container. “A little protein scramble. I wanted to put us on friendlier footing, considering how rough things began . . .”
After Hannibal plated the food and they sat down at the table, Will said, “I’m sure you’re qualified. Alana recommends you highly but I prefer to work alone.”
“The killer is very strong. A few of the victims were spell casters. And not low-powered ones at that.”
“What kind of spell caster are you?” said Will. “
“My familiar is an unusual one. It’s a ravenstag.”
“That’s a rare one,” said Will. It was an animal in the shape of a black stag with feathers and could breathe fire. It was a very strong familiar and made him reevaluate the man sitting across from him. “As deadly as it is beautiful.”
Hannibal smiled. “I heard you have one that’s a hawk.”
“Yes.”
“Could you show him to me? I’d like to know everything my future partner is capable of.”
“I prefer to reveal him only when I need to.”
“I could show you mine.”
Will frowned. “Now you’re being a little too familiar.”
***
“So what do you think about him?” said Will to Matthew after Hannibal had gone.
“I don’t like him,” said Matthew.
“Why?”
“He seems much more interested in you than the case.”
Will looked away from Matthew. “I doubt I’m his type.”
“Type or not, he is very intent on having you pay attention to him. I’d have a better read on him if I talked to him directly and carefully observed him.”
Will paused for a few seconds. Matthew was good at sussing out the truth and wasn’t as easily deceived by the tricks humans used to hide the truth. “Not yet,” said Will. “But perhaps we should try to find out more about him through other means.”
Matthew nodded.
“Now how about we make food for the dogs?”
The End